Alby hid in his closet with his hands cupped over his ears and his head between his knees. He didn't want to come out. Not today. Not ever. James had ruined it all. Alby was supposed to have the most perfect sixth birthday in the world. Everyone was going to come out and celebrate with him. His uncle Ron even had a special surprise that Alby knew in the back of his mind was a brand new trainer broom that he had heard his uncle and his dad talking about a couple weeks before. But now none of that would happen; all because of James.
He couldn't even stand not being the center of attention for one day! Alby thought angrily as he kicked the wall with the side of his foot. He could hear his mum calling his name somewhere in the house, but Alby didn't want to come out. He was actually perfectly content with spending the remainder of his birthday in the closet by himself where no one could bug him.
Just when Alby thought that he was finally completely alone at last, he heard a small tapping on the closet door and it opened a crack. Peering through were some of the prettiest eyes Alby had ever seen in his life, belonging to his best friend in the world, Ella Wood.
"Al, can I come in?" She asked in almost a whisper. Alby was happy that she didn't talk in her full voice because he absolutely didn't want to be found by his family. He was so angry that he just wanted to scream and cry at them all, but somehow Ella being there and asking to come in to his secret place didn't make him angry and he slowly nodded. She opened the door another little bit and slipped her tiny body through the doorway.
She sat down opposite of him and brought her knees up to her chest. By special request, Alby had asked his parents to make sure that the closet was always empty and never full with clothes or toys. He lied and told them it was because he was afraid of monsters that could live in there, which prompted James to make fun of him every time he had the chance, but really, Alby just wanted it for himself. He wanted a place where he could go and wouldn't have to worry about James being around to bug him or call him names. A place where Lily couldn't upstage him with her cuteness that always seemed to turn the attention to her. A place where he wasn't Harry Potter's son and was asked to have their picture taken with random people on the streets when he was out with his family. This was his place. It was all his. But now Ella was there.
"How did you know I was here?" Alby asked, still in a whisper. Ella's tiny lips cracked into a smile. "Your mum and dad may believe that you're afraid of monsters, but I know you. I've seen you eat live caterpillars out of your garden. You, Albus Severus Potter, are not afraid of monsters in the closet." She giggled.
Alby leaned up and rested his head on his arms that were leaning on his knees. "I kinda wished they would find me, you know?" Alby said finally. Ella gave him a perplexed look. "But I thought you came here whenever you didn't want them to find you?" Ella asked.
Alby leaned his head up off of his arms and shrugged a little bit. "But then if they found me I would know they were looking." He said a little quieter before looking down at his hands resting between his knees.
Ella stared at him for a couple seconds before letting out a little sigh. "I found you." She said quieter, looking into his eyes. Alby looked up and actually managed to smile at her. She was the only person that could really make him smile even when he was in the worst moods. "Promise me you'll always find me?" Alby asked and held out his pinky. Ella extended hers and wrapped her pinky around his. "I promise." She smiled and they let go.
Ella and Alby sat there for another couple minutes, trying to stay quiet so they weren't found. Finally when either of them couldn't hear anything from outside in the rest of the house, they both let out a sigh of relief.
"What did James do, anyway?" Ella asked, bringing her knees down and criss-crossing her legs. Alby let out a frustrated groan and scrunched up his forehead in anger. "James threw a fit because for once in his stupid life he wasn't the center of attention." Alby rolled his eyes. "He threw my cake off the table and it splattered all over the floor. Then he started screaming and crying and dad took his side." Alby frowned angrily and crossed his arms.
Ella's jaw dropped slightly. "He did all that? Why does he have to be such a…a…tard!" Ella asked and let out a little huff. Alby shrugged and rolled his eyes. "I just hate how dad always takes his side and acts like he's the saint child and can do no wrong. What's wrong with me? Why can't I be that? It's always James and Lily, James and Lily, James and Lily." He clenched his jaw and leaned his head down on his arms again.
Ella reached over and put her hand on his arm. "Forget about them. It's just me and you now. No one can take that away from us." She smiled and leaned over to hug him. Ella wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed him, letting out a little giggle. Alby hugged her back around her tiny waist and squeezed back. They both let go and Ella leaned back.
"Do you want to go out there now?" She asked him. Alby sighed and shook his head. "Not yet. Can we just stay in here a little longer?" Alby asked her back. Ella nodded and gave him a smile.
They sat there for a couple minutes in silence, just sitting and doing nothing. That was something that Alby and Ella could always do together. Just nothing. They could do nothing and have the time of their lives and Alby loved that so much about the two of them. Suddenly Ella smiled and looked at him.
"My dad says that on birthdays you're allowed a birthday kiss to anyone you want and they can't say no." She giggled and smiled at him. Alby laughed and smiled back. "Ew, but why would I want to kiss anybody?" He stuck out his tongue and pretended to puke. Ella laughed at him and let out a smaller giggle. "I don't know. It seems kinda weird though, right? Like, kissing people? Why would anyone want to do that?" She laughed. Alby shrugged and smiled at her. "I have no idea. It's gross."
Before either of them could say anything else, Alby shifted his weight and leaned up on his knees. He leaned over and kissed Ella lightly on the lips and pulled away quickly. Ella stared at him confused and Alby just smiled. "That wasn't so bad." He laughed and sat back down.
Ella stared at him for another couple of seconds before laughing with him and giving him a light punch. "Yeah, but I didn't kiss you back so it doesn't count!" She stuck her tongue out at him and giggled. Alby leaned his head to the side and nudged her arm. "Then kiss me back you 'fraidy cat!" He laughed.
It was Ella's turn to pretend gag and stick out her tongue. "Ew! Gross! No!" She giggled. They laughed for another couple minutes before they settled down and sat across from each other again. "Okay fine. I'll kiss you back. But only once! Because it's your birthday." She stuck her tongue out at him again and leaned over.
Slowly, Ella approached his face and kissed him lightly on the lips. Alby kissed her back just as light and closed his eyes for a few seconds. Her tiny lips were soft and dainty on his and it felt really warm. After a few seconds Ella leaned back and looked in Alby's eyes. "Happy birthday, Alby." She smiled and gave him a hug. "I love you." She said into his ear.
Alby hugged her back and felt her breath on his neck. "I love you too, Ella." He smiled and gave his best friend a tiny squeeze.